VIDEO E3 2014 (June 9th-12th) Discussion Thread

Oh boy, predictions time!

Microsoft emphasizes their "new" focus on "core gamers" in contrast to their previous multimedia device angle. There will be lots of talk about the "new", Kinect-free Xbone, with subtle hints of "Oh god please buy our machine please please please." Sony, reveling in its console war domination, gives a circa 2008 Nintendo-style "We're rich as ****" talk. Inconvenient Vita sales information and broader corporate issues won't be mentioned. Nintendo continues to overemphasize the WiiU at the expense of the vastly more successful 3DS. A localization of Dragon Quest VII is not announced, leading a certain Head Admin to hit the bottle.

 

3DS Metroid. I guess that's more of a wish, though.

I honestly think this is going to be more of the same we've had the past two years, with a lot of hype for products that aren't very exciting. Except for Batman, because he's Batman.

Geoff Keighley will sit on the Doritos Throne and rule over all of the Seven Kingdoms of Doritos and then provide commentary on "The Industry" that we already all can do for ourselves.

Reggie will probably have some dumb reveal of a new walking stick for Cranky Kong.

David Cage will talk about polygons and emotions.

I'd like to see everyone pushing new IPs and ideas, but the money just isn't there, it would seem.

 

E3 is always great especially when its not. All the game news is exciting and all, but the real joy comes from watching rich people embarrassing themselves in front of everyone. The more awkward the better.

 

Wonder if The Last of Us will get a release date for the PS4 announced

 

Most certainly, and I'd be willing to bet it'll have the UC4 beta too.

Very excited for E3 this year. Especially the next Resident Evil!

 

I'm hoping for another Smash trailer, possibly another new character. Not sure if there's any room left on the roster- many of the regulars have been confirmed, as well as the third party ones like Mega Man and Sonic, but I still expect a new trailer at least. Also half expecting the Wii U version to be delayed until 2015, but the 3DS version should be out this year, though I'm not sure they can make a summer release date.

I usually like Nintendo's Direct presentations, and expect a few reveals, although it'll probably be more of the same- some Smash, maybe another Mario platformer this year, Zelda Dynasty warriors, small glimpse of Zelda Wii U and possibly a name or a theme, and a Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire trailer and news.

This year's dueling conferences (Sony and Microsoft) probably won't be quite as exciting, at least compared to last year and Sony's arguable win. The multiplatform games will probably have a trailer at one or both conferences (Arkham Knight will probably still get a lot of airtime, despite being delayed until next year, but probably still before the next E3). Sony's PS4 is doing well, I think, but overall the Sony company is not doing well, so not sure if they'll try to preempt Microsoft with a price drop to the PS4 yet. The Vita hasn't made much of an impact (with that not likely to change), and Microsoft will be reminding people of the new Kinect-less cheaper XB1 as much as possible. Sunset Overdrive will probably get another trailer.

And Last Guardian will be either cancelled or "still in progress". Uncharted 4 will probably hinted at or announced (though not so sure about Naughty Dog these days), as well as a release date for the Last of Us PS4 port. Possibly a sequel, though I hope not, the game itself is excellent as is. Both Sony and Microsoft will probably announce several ports of older games (either for last gen or current gen) to fill the gaps until they're done with more current gen games.

I'm hoping for another Final Fantasy XV trailer, with more new footage, but still not expecting the game itself until 2015 or 2016 at the rate Square Enix has been working the last decade. Kingdom Hearts 3 will probably be mentioned as "existing" with more focus on the 2.5 port. Maybe announce a few more ports of their older classics. FFX-3 is a longshot (and a nightmare) but I wouldn't put it past them, after how the X/X-2 Remastered did. It'll probably be years until they can even get to the "vague, mysterious, cryptic trailers" that preceded Kingdom Hearts 2.

A Halo 2 port hasn't been announced yet, has it? I expect that will come along sooner or later, either for the 360 or more likely the XB1. Or were there rumors of a Halo collection already? I don't follow Halo that closely, but that's the Xbox's top franchise probably.

Wonder how much Star Wars there'll be at the EA conference. Last year they did a brief Battle of Hoth trailer, this year they'll probably do... another Battle of Hoth trailer. Since its not like anyone in the game industry cares about anything other than the Battle of Hoth. Not even sure they'll bother to bring up SWTOR during their conference. Is it time for Ubisoft to start pushing their next Assasin's Creed game? And no idea how Watch Dogs ended, but I wouldn't be surprised if they announced Watch Dogs 2, because why not.

 

Glad I'm not the only one who hasn't forgotten about The Last Guardian. Every year I hope for some news on it.

 

I'm looking forward to Battlefront, and I'm hoping we get announcements for the Visceral and BioWare Star Wars games and the game I am most excited about would be Red Dead 3, so I hope that gets announced.

 

-sighs-

Remember when Square was just Square, and they didn't have Enix attached? Back when they made great games? I miss those days.

 

I agree except make that about Enix.

 

I hope CliffyB talks more smack about other creators only for literally everyone to ask what he's showing at E3.

Also Antonio Banderas backing the XBone and doing that hand thing in reference to Sony collectively entering panic mode.

Actually, I'd like to hear people say positive thing about Microsoft this year instead of repeating the same talking points ad nauseum while Sony spirals the drain.

 

Far Cry 4, you say?

Also, the Bethesda title - new Fallout?

 

That or the inevitable expansion to TESO.

 

That'd be pretty blood quick turnaround...

 

Yup, tell that to the worldwide leaders of current gen. They're laughing all the way to the bank. Which console has had price drops so far? Which one has had numerous bundles go on sale to clear them out? Sony is in deep **** with everything but their gaming division. MS is the opposite. The Xbox Division needs some serious help.

 

What I'm saying is Microsoft has made moves to improve their console's reception. I'd like to see some fair reporting on that front, but I know I'm barking up the wrong tree because it's the vidya jernalizme.

 

Made moves, yes, but they haven't yet paid off with improved sales (Q3 ends this month, we might find out more then). Microsoft's console division is already controversial amongst its shareholders and it is really easy to see these "improvements" as desperation plays. Last year we saw what a confident Microsoft was willing to do, and that kind of nonsense results in long-term PR repercussions.

And while there are certainly some salient points to be made about Sony's overall financial health (If you can call it health. Life support status?) I don't really want to see vidyayame jernalizms attempt an assessment there. They proved back in May that they wouldn't know what they were doing.

 

True enough. The whole industry is frustrating at this point.

 

I wonder how many time games will freeze this year.

 

OK, let me pick up my jaw after having watched the E3 Witcher 3 trailer.....